Combination mailer, statement and selfaddressed return envelope



C. W. SHADE June 22, 1965 COMBINATION MAILER, STATEMENT AND SELF-ADDRESSED RETURN ENVELOPE Filed Oct. 7, 19

CHESTER W. SHADE maz- ATTORNEY d 0 5 S E II S R M 5 B. s /4 w 3 K T 2 o L A N 2 M & E E r m I A N M 2 0 6 W A 2 E A 2 m N L T E S H l L rNv 3 V A m M A I ZOFUDEPWZ l United States Patent 3,190,540 COMBHNATION MAILER, STATEMENT AND SELF- ADDRESSED RETURN ENVELOPE Chester W. Shade, 307 N. Mars Ave., Clearwater, Fla. Filed Oct. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 314,155 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-73) This invention relates to the art of communication, including Written messages transmitted through the medium of the mails, and to materials and facilities employed, especially stationery on which messages desired to be transmitted are written, as well as contained, and to matter of the character which is addressed, stamped, and sent through the mails.

The invention'relates particularly to a mailing piece which can contain a message to be transmitted and which mailing piece will constitute or provide a return envelope with the return address of the sender, and which mailing piece can be sealed by the sender, readily opened, the contents examined, refolded, re'sealed, and remailed to the sender.

Ordinarily statements are sent with messages in envelopes containing self-addressed return envelopes for the use of the receiver, thus utilizing more material than is necessary, making it possible for the return envelope to be inadvertently omitted, and otherwise requiring presence of mind in preparation and mailing. Attempts have been made to simplify the procedure by the provision of self-addressed return envelopes which have messages therein and which can be remailed but with fully satisfactory results not yet attained.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mailing piece of a single sheet having top, bottom and side flaps which can be folded upon the sheet to provide a conveying envelope and a message carrier, and the flaps of which sheet can again be folded upon the sheet to provide a return envelope.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mailing piece of a sheet having top, bottom and side flaps foldable upon itself for mailing with the side and bottom flaps either overlying or underlying each other, and with the top flap overlying both and having an adhesive along its edge for sealing and a tear slip adjacent the adhesive to facilitate opening, the lower flap having an adhesive along its edge so that the top and side flaps may be folded in and the bottom flap sealed thereto to provide a return envelope, and with indicia on said sheet indicating the manner in which the mailing piece can be used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mailing piece or envelope by means of which the recipient merely may pull a tear strip across the envelope from either end to open, permitting it to be unfolded revealing the contents, whereupon the top flap of the mailing piece may be folded down, the side flaps folded in and the bottom flap folded up, moistened, sealed and mailed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the face of an envelope carrying an indication of the return address of the sender as well as a space for the name of the addressee;

FIG. 2, a plan view of the inside of the sheet to be folded to produce the envelope;

FIG. 3, a similar view with the face of the sheet to be folded outside; and,

FIG. 4, a perspective of the sheet folded for return to the sender.

Briefly stated the invention is a combination mailer, statement and a self-addressed return envelope composed of a generally rectangular sheet having foldable flaps at the top and bottom and at each side to provide a gen- 3,190,540 Patented June 22, 1965 erally rectangular envelope when the side flaps are folded in, the top flap folded down and the bottom flap folded up and sealed, to which the name and address of the addressee may be applied, the top flap having spaced parallel perforated or weakened lines so that the intermediate portion between the lines may be detached to allow the top flap to be freed to open the envelope, whereupon all that is necessary to close the envelope is to fold the top flap down first, the side flaps in, and the bottom flap thereover, the top and bottom flaps having at their free edges a coating of adhesive.

With continued reference to the drawing, in order to provide a combination mailer for containing any desired communication either integral or separate, a sheet 10 is provided having top andbottom flaps 11 and 12 and side flaps 13 and 14.integral with a generally rectangular body section. Fold lines 15, 1'6, 17'and 18, respectively, are provided between the top, bottom and side flaps and the body section so that these flaps may be folded generally at right angle to the length and breadth of the sheet. When thus folded a container will be provided.

Within the container, preferably on one of the flaps, may be added instructions19, as well as various other indicia including, for example, the letterhead or name and address 20 of the sender and other indicia such as the word STATEMENT 21 on the bottom flap adjacent the fold line 16 and any desired message 22 on the sheet within the fold line 16. Also, where the word STATEMENT is employed on the bottom flap, additional bookkeeping lines 23 and 24 may be added, and for sealing, the top and bottom flaps are provided at their outer extremities with bands. of adhesive 25 and 25. Adjacent the band of adhesive on the upper flap 11 are a pair of perforated or weakened lines 27 leaving a strip 28 therebetween which can be readily detached to free the flap from the sealed band along its free edge. On the opposite or on other surface of the strip 28 inverted may be inserted instructions 29 such as Pull to open.

By reversing and inverting the entire sheet the top flap 11 will be located at the bottom and the bottom flap 12 will be located at the top and the printed instructions 29 relative to opening will be near the lowermost part of the mailer.

For the convenience of the one who mails the envelope or container indicia 30 may be added indicating that this is the area for the name and address of the addressee. In the upper left hand corner of the flap 11 above such indication may be the name and address 31 of the sender. Also in the upper right hand corner indicia 31' may be supplied to indicate the location and denomination of the stamp.

In order to provide a self-addressed return envelope the flap 12 may have the name and return address 32 of the sender and a designation 33 in the upper left hand corner of the name and address of the original addressee. In the upper right hand corner may be located indicia 34 indicating the position and denomination of stamp to be applied. 1

From the above it will be apparent that viewing the interior face of the device and folding back the top flap the name and address 35 may be typed or written upon the lower central portion of the sheet 10 and if the bottom flap 12 is folded up and a carbon inserted under it the name and address 32 of the original sender on the front of the device will be applied at 35 on the inner surface of the body section, it being presumed that an itemization or amount 36 already will have been applied, whereupon the sender may fold in the side and bottom flaps and fold down the top flap, moistening the adhesive band and sealing it to the interior of the underlying bottom flap entirely from side to side provided the bottom flap overlies the side flaps, or if the side flaps overlie the bottom flap, sealing it to the side flaps and the intermediate portion of the bottom flap.

Upon receipt of the mailing piece the strip 28 may be detached leaving the lower portion, 37 of the top fiap 11 attached to the bottom fiap 12 near the fold line 16 but with the edge 38 of the top fiap free permitting the sheet and flaps to be fully opened in a single plane.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 the recipient may place a folded check or money order on the center body section of sheet 10, then fold in the top and side flaps, moisten the adhesive along the outer edge of the bottom flap, and seal the bottom flap onto the others, it being understood, of course, that the side flaps in the present instance, as in the previous, may either underlie or overlie the top flap prior to the folding over of the bottom flap. Whereupon the recipient to remail need only apply his name and address in the space 33 and the proper stamp in the space 34 and mail, the address of the one from whom it was received being already located in the space 32.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claim.

What is claimed is:

A combination mailing and self-addressed return envelope comprising a sheet having:

a body section of generally rectangular shape including closure flaps integral therewith on the upper and lower ends thereof,

said upper and lower closure flaps being of approximately the same size of said body section and extending substantially the full width thereof,

closure flaps on the ends of said body section integral therewith and extending substantially the full length thereof,

said upper and lower closure flaps of said sheet each having a strip of adhesive thereon positioned adjacent their outermost free edges,

both strips of adhesive on said upper and lower closure flaps being located on the same side of said sheet,

a pair of parallelly spaced lines of perforations formed in said upper flap adjacent said adhesive strip thereon and extending the full width of said flap,

one side of said body section and the corresponding sides of said upper and lower flaps containing said strips of adhesive being adapted to contain any desired written matter thereon,

the opposite side of said upper flap being adapted to contain a forwarding mailing address thereon,

the corresponding opposite side of said lower flap being adapted to contain a return mailing address thereon,

the relationship of the components of said envelope enabling the same envelope to be used for two-way mailing purposes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 877,3 30 1/08 Harvey 229-73 1,405,131 1/22 Harrison 22992.3 3,018,033 1/62 Henry 229-73 FOREIGN PATENTS 114,805 4/18 Great Britain.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

